Electric-lamp bracket and socket.



Patented Apr. 2, 1912.

E. L. PARTRIDGE.

ELECTRIC LAMP BRACKET AND SOCKET.

APPLICATION FILED 0012.10, 1910.

u a e. u

- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EIMER L. PARTRIDG-E, 'OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE ADAMS & WESTLAKE COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A. CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

ELECTRIC-LAMP BRACKET AND SOCKET.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 2, 1912.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ELMER L. PARTRIDGE, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of Chicago, Cook county,

State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric-Lamp Brackets and Sockets, of which the following is a specification.

The mam objects of this invention are to provide an improved form of bracket adapted to be used on automobiles for supporting electric lamps, particularly combined electric and oil lamps, such as are now used as side lights and rear lights on automobiles; to provide for removing such lamps, as when the casing is to be polished or the lamp is to be cleaned or filled, without necessitating the direct manual disconnection of conductor wires therefrom, which has heretofore resulted in the frequent breaking of such wires and to provide a lamp and bracket of that.

kind which requires only slight modification of the socket member now in common use for that purpose.

An illustrative embodiment of this invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of a lamp bracket constructed according to this invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view of a lamp supported in position on said bracket. Fig. 3 is a sectional detail of the bracket, taken on the line A-A of Fig. 2.. Fig. 4 is a sectional detail of the same, taken on the line BB of Fig. 3.

In the construction shown in the drawings, the bracket comprises a base plate 1, by means. of which it is secured in place on the vehicle frame, usually on the dashboard 1* when used as a side light. The horizontally extended part or tongue 2 has a vertical part 3 at its free end and a boss 4 formed along the lower'edge thereof, which extends part way up on the part 3. A channel 5 extends through-the base 1 and'lengthwise along the boss 4, and communicates with a transverse slot 5 extending through the upper end of the boss 4. A member 6 is retained in the slot 5 at the upper end of the boss 4, and comprises a block of insulation material 7, on the opposite sides of which are secured contact plates or blocks8 and 9 which are insulated from each other by said block and from the bracket by means of sheets of mica 1O placed thereabout, between the member 6 and the surrounding wall of the slot. Electric conductor wires 11 and 11' are used in the channel 5 and connect the contact plates 8 and 9 with the source of electricity. After the member 6 and the conductor wires 11 and 11 are secured in place, the channel 5 may be filled with plastic cement 14.- which holds the parts against displacement, or the member 6 may be otherwise cemented to the walls of the slot. The lamp casing 12 has a su porting or socket member 13 formed on t e rear thereof, which is adapted to fit over the part 3. The shoulders 15 of the bracket serve asstops to hold the lamp in proper position to complete the electrical circuit. Spring contact members 16 and 17 are secured within the socket member 13 and insulated therefrom, and are connected in circuit with a lamp 18 fixed in the casing 12. When the casing is in position on the bracket, the engagement of the spring contact members 16 and 17 with the contact plates 8 and 9 completes the electrical circuit to the lamp 18. This construction permits the lamp and its casing to be firmly supported in place on the vehicle, and also permits the ready re moval of the lamp casing for the purpose of cleaning or repairing, without necessitating the direct manual disconnection of any electrical conductors.

Although but one specific embodiment of this invention is herein shown and described, it will be understood that numerous details of the construction shown-may be altered or omitted without departing from the s irit of this invention as defined by the 0 lowing claims.

I claim:

1. In a device of the class described, the combination of a base, a tongue having .av horizontal part projecting from said base and having a vertical part at its free'end, said tongue having a channel extending lengthwise thereof through said base and horizontal part and extending into and opening out of said vertical part, a pair of contact plates insulated from each other and projecting from the opening insaid vertical part, an electrical conductor leading from each of said contact plates through said channel, and a socket member adapted to fit said tongue and carrying contact members insulated from each other and adapted to respectively engage said contact plates.

2. In a device of the class described, the

combination of a base, a tongue extending horizontally therefrom and having a vertical part at its free end, a boss formed on said tongue and having a channel extending lengthwisethereof, a pair of contact plates secured in said tongue near theend' of said boss and insulated therefrom, a conductor housed in said channel and connected to said contact jplat'es, a socket member adapted to fit said vert'ical part, and a pair of spring contact members carried by said socket member and adapted to respectively engage said contact plates.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination of a base, a tongue extending horizontally therefrom and having a vertical part at its free end, a boss formed on said tongue and said vertical part, said tongue having a slot formed therein near the end of said boss and having a channel extending from said slot lengthwise of said boss, a member \fixed'in said slot comprising a pair of contact plateslinsulated from each other and from said tongue, a conductor horizontal part and extending into and opening out of said vertical part, a pair of contact plates insulated from each other and projecting from the opening in said vertical part, an electrical conductor leading from each of said contact plates through said channel, a socket member adapted to. fit said tongue and carrying contact members insulated from each other and adapted to respectively engagev said contact plates, and a shoulder adapted to support said socket member,,in position to insure the engagement of said contact members and contact plates.

5. In a device of the class described, the

combination of a base, a tongue having a horizontal part projecting from said base and having a vertical part at its free end, said tongue having a channel extending lengthwise thereof through said base and horizontal part and extending into and opening out of said vertical part, a contact plate insulated from said vertical part and exposed through the opening in said vertical part, an electrical conductor leading from said contact plate through said chanriel, a lamp having thereon a socket adapted to fit said tongue and carrying acontact member insulated from said. socket and adapted to engage said contact plate, and electrical conducting means adapted to complete the electrical circuit through said lamp. g

6. In a device of the class described, the combination of a base, a tongue having a horizontal part projecting from said base and having a vertical part at its free end,

said tongue having a channel extending lengthwise thereof through said base and horizontal part and extendmg into and opening out of said vertical part below the top thereof, a contact plate insulated from said vertical part and exposed through the opening in said vertical part, an electrical conductor leading from said contact plate through said channel, a lamp having thereon a socket adapted to fit said tongue and carrying a contact member insulated from said socket and adapted to engage said contact plate, and electrical conducting means adapted'to complete the electrical circuit through said lamp.

7. In combination, a lamp supporting bracket having an outstanding channeled arm, a pair of terminals insulated from each other and from the arm, said terminals being carried by the arm and being exposed upon the arm adjacent its outer end, wires leading to the said terminals through the channel of the arm and being housed thereby, a lamp having a. socket plate engageable with the endof the arm, and contacts within the socket of the plate and engageable with the said terminals when the lamp. is applied to the bracket.

8. In combination, a lamp supportingbracket comprising an apertured wall plate, an arm projecting outwardly from the wall plate and a head located at the outer end of the arm, the arm and head being channeled and the aperture of the wall plate belng' 1 n communication with the said channel, a pa1r of insulated terminals carried by the head of "the bracket, said terminals being exposed upon the head, wires leading to the said terminals through the aperture of the wall plate and the channel of the arm and head and being housed thereby,a lamp having a socket plate engageable with the head of the bracket, and contacts within the so ket of the plate engageable with the said terminals. 7

Signed at Chicago this 8th day of October, 1910.

- WM. R. RUMMLER, MARY M. DILLMAN. 

